Stacking mechanism for mail-matter.



J. T. LYNCH & G. E. BOLTON. STAGKING MECHANISM FOR MAIL MATTER.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1911. 1,035,716-

J. T. LYNCH & G. E. BOLTON. smcxme MECHANISM FOR MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 191 1. 1,035,716; Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

QSHEE'IS SHEET 2.

J. T. LYNCH & G. E. BOLTON.

STAOKING MECHANISM FOR MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20I 1911.

1,035,? 1 6, Patented Aug. 13,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. LYNCH AND GEORGE E. BOLTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBS TO THE B. F. CUMMINS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STACKING MECHANISM FOR MAIL-MATTER.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that we, JOHN T. LYNCH and Gnonen E. BoLToN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stacking Mechanism for Mail-Matter, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding'numerals of reference in the different figures indicate like parts. i

The object of our invention is to provide a stacking mechanism for mail matter adapted for use in connection with pick-uptables, 1nail marking machines and other similar devices adapted to the handling and bunching of mail-pieces, which mechanism shall be so constructed and combined as to enable the pressure upon the mail-piece follower to be uniform regardless of the number of mail pieces which may be upon the stacking surface.

A further object is to provide simple and effective means for advancing the follower to an operative or supporting position when any portion or' all of the mail-pieces are removed from the stack or fail to be held in proper positions and that without disturbing the action of the stacking elements.

To these ends ,the invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a plan view of the rear end of a canceling machine together with our improved stacking device, a portion of the latter being broken away, Fig. 2, is a rear end view in elevation, Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 3, Fig. 4, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown, and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 4, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction there indicated.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the rear end portion of the table of an ordinary post marking machine having the usual feed belt 2 mounted at one end upon a roller 3, and auxiliary feed rollers 4. A shield 5 is arranged parallel to the feed belt to serve as a support for the mail-pieces upon one side as they are advanced to the stacker. A rotary mail-piece deflector generally desig- Speclflcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20, 1911.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 609,728.

nated by 6, provided with curved wings 7 preferably three in number, is mounted upon a vertical shaft 8, adapted to be driven from a source of power not shown. A vertical shield 9, is attached to the table by means of a bracket 10, said shield being bent at substantially right angles at its rear end as shown at 11. Pivoted at 12 to the part 11. is an arm 13 which is adapted to stand normally in a horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to serve as a stop for the mailpieces as they are advanced by the feed mechanism to the rotary stacking member.

A wrist-pin 14 is attached to the part 13 and serves to connect the same with a pitman 15, the lower portion 16, of which is reduced in size and projected loosely through a bore in the end of a lever 17, which is pivoted at 18, Fig. 4, upon the frame. Said lever is provided with a yoke 19 upon its opposite end having pins 20 therein adapted to enter a groove 21 in a hub 22 of a beveled friction gear 23 splined to the shaft 8, so as to be moved vertically thereon while rotated thereby. A washer 24, is secured upon the part 16 of the pitman, between which and the lever 17 is interposed a coiled spring 25 for the purpose hereinafter stated. A beveled friction gear 26, Figs. 2 and 4, is keyed to a shaft 27, Fig. 3, journaled in a sleeve 28 upon a bracket 29, attached to the frame. A gear wheel 30 upon the opposite end of the shaft, is in engagement with an idle-gear 31, the teeth of which mesh with those of a gear 32 upon the end of a roller 33. Said roller is provided with a trunnion 34, which is adapted to enter a bore in the head of a screw 35, secured to the frame. 'A hollow trunnion 36, is secured to the opposite end of the roller, into which is projected a tapered screw 37, tapped through a side frame element 38. The bearings described are made from hardened steel and the object of so constructing them is to produce a frictional action upon the roller 33 which may be greater or less according as the screw 37 is tightened or loosened.- A secondary roller, indicated in dotted lines at 39, Fig. 2, is journaled at 40 in the frame in any well known way. A carrier belt 41, is mounted upon said rollers and is provided with a follower 42, upon its upper surface, which may consist of a vertical metal plate attached to the belt by means of brackets 43.

Said follower is adjusted at an angle to the vertical plane of the axis of the roller 33 substantially as represented in Fig. 1.

The operation of said device is as follows: As the mail pieces are advanced by the feed belt 2 and roller 4 to the stacking mechanism their progress in the letter-pat is arrested by thestop 13 and they are pushed back by the stackenwin s 7, against the follower 42.. The screw 3 being adjusted to produce the desired degree of friction'in the bearings of the roller 33,sufiicient resistance is offered by the follower to maintain the mail-pieces in vertical positions without adding to the resistance as the stack is increased. It is obvious that uniformity of resistance may be maintained until the limit of capacity of the stacker is reached. Whenever any or all of the mail-pieces are removed from the stack the operator reverses the shield 13 to the position shown in.

dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby lowering the pin 14 and forcing the pitman 15, downwardly which results in placing the spring 25 under tension, thus causing it to depress the outer end of the 'lever 17 and lift the friction gear wheel 23 into contact with the gear 26. This, in turn, serves to drive the gears 30, 31 and 32 to actuate the roller 33, move the belt and restore the follower 42 to its normal initial position. As a resultof utilizing the spring 25 with the friction gears, it is obvious that any excessive strain and consequent injury to the parts will be avoided, as a yielding pressure is thereby exerted upon the gears when in contact. Should the mail-pieces in the stack become disarranged and require to be straightened up during the operation, it may be accomplished by moving the parts 13 momentarily to the position indicated in dotted lines and then reversing it. By this means the operator may be enabled to keep the stack at all times in perfect formation with the mail-pieces standing vertically and in proper relation to each other.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with means for advancing mail-pieces endwise in a common path, of a continuously acting deflector for engaging the mail-pieces to move them. laterally against a follower, a mail-piece support comprising a laterally extended belt mounted upon rollers, a follower mounted upon said belt for supporting said lnail pieces on edge, said follower and beltbeing adapted to be moved backwardly by the pressure against the former of accumulating mailpieces, frictional means for controlling the resistance exerted by said follower against the mail-pieces, friction gears normally out of contact for actuating said belt to cause a forward movement thereof when mail-pieces are removed and means controllable by the operator, for bringing said gears into action.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of means for advancing mailpieces endwise in a common path, a deflector for pushing said mail-pieces laterally upon a belt support, a movable belt support mounted upon rollers, said support being arranged laterally to said mail-piece path, a follower mounted transversely upon said belt to support the mail-pieces when press-ed against it by the deflector, means for exerting a frictional action upon one of said-rollers to resist the pressure of the mailpieces against said follower, friction gears for connecting one of said rollers to a source of power for reversing the action of said roller, means for normally holding said friction gears out of contact and means for arbitrarily bringing them into contact.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of means for advancing mailpieces endwise in a common path, means for pushing said mail-pieces laterally upon a belt support, a laterally extended belt support mounted upon rollers, a follower mounted upon said belt to serve as a backing for the mail pieces, means for exerting a yielding frictional action to resist pressure exerted by said mail-pieces against said follower, friction gears normally out of cont-actfor connecting one of said rollers to a source of power to reverse the normal action of said roller, means for moving said friction gears into and out of contact, and interposed means for causing the driving gear to exert a yielding pressure upon the driven gear.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of February JOHN T. LYNCH. GEORGrE I BOLTON. IVitnesses:

HARRY I. CRoMEn, JENNIE Ii. FISKE. 

